The scrutiny that a manager gets in the Premiership is approx 10 times what he might expect in the lower leagues. Such a shame that some of newer fans seem to have their opinions formed by ignorant or even hostile national media, many of them Arsenal, Spurs fans etc with an inbuilt propensity to ridicule clubs with histories like ours. To a certain type of journalist or pundit, everything about northern managers, supporters and clubs is naff and worthy of ridicule. We witnessed that after the Arsenal cup game when Fabregas spat at Brian Horton, and the very thought that somehow a northern assistant manager of a club like Hull City could make an accusation against an Arsenal player, caused apoplexy, hostility and ridicule for months afterwards.
Both. It may be in the premier league, but when you see City turn in dismal performances and results against teams we have a fair chance of beating it is just as depressing as losing to the likes of Wycombe and Walsall. You expect to get nothing from the likes of Man United and Chelsea but simply been in the premier league doesn't make defeats to the teams around you any less depressing than defeats in League 2.
Both. It may be in the premier league, but when you see City turn in dismal performances and results against teams we have a fair chance of beating it is just as depressing as losing to the likes of Wycombe and Walsall. You expect to get nothing from the likes of Man United and Chelsea but simply been in the premier league doesn't make defeats to the teams around you any less depressing than defeats in League 2.
Clapper mate the bloke was arrogant and egotistical and before Hyacinth Bouquet's mate pipes up yes I do know that for a fact. I've met him dozens of times and it depended which way the wind was blowing as to whether he completely ignored you or spoke to you. It really did.
I don't have a problem with the bloke. Like you say he gave us some of the best times we've ever had supporting city and I'll always be grateful to him for that. When I first went to watch city in 1999/2000 I never thought I would see City in the premier league within 10 years of my first time going to watch. But, despite all his achievements things weren't always a walk in the park and quite justifiably he comes in for some criticism, though that doesn't devalue his achievements with us.
It does for me. It seems like a moral victory that we are even giving these giants (with all their financial muscle) a game. Think most people expected us to come straight back down, given our size and lack of experience. We gave it a real good go. To me it seems decadent to enjoy winning for winning's sake, that's what attracts the turds to clubs like Man U. How can they really enjoy Utd putting five past smaller premiership clubs? Like going back to your old primary school and twatting a few before proclaiming "I'm the cock of the school"
But when we were there for our 2nd season we couldn't look back and think 'look where we have come from', we had to move forward and make a decent fist of staying up. We'd exceeded expectations by staying up in the first place but now we'd achieved that we needed to concentrate on staying there. To see us lose and play abjectly against some of the 'lesser' sides in the premier league hurt and it felt like we were throwing away our chances of staying in the top flight. After all, we showed we could mix it with the best with our performances against Man City, Chelsea and Everton at home and Spurs away. What I'm trying to say is that in our 2nd season when we were losing to the teams around us it's not something that could just be brushed off because we were a top flight team and they were as depressing as defeats in League 2.
They were very disappointing, particularly Pompey away and Burnley at home where we led both times and contrived to **** it up. This season though, we have ****ed it up against Posh, Burnley and Sheff Wed at home. Very disappointing, but a million times less depressing than losing at home to Carlisle 2-5 on Dec 9 1995 and following it up with a 1-4 v Rotherham on Jan 13 1996.
That game at Burnley was a good game but "we was robbed guvnor!" Dodgy penalty, NO, NEVER a penalty in 100 million years! FACT! Then Geo sent off after scoring a perfectly good goal. Great performance, terrible result.
Yeah but wasn't that when Dowie took over, complete disaster after PB had made us lose narrowly to Arsenal. Just referring to that one as I've had a few drinks & it still pisses me off!
I enjoyed the time in the PL, it really improved the status of the club, but some of the performances were dire - the one against Middlesbrough in the second half of the first season was a real ****ter. I'd put that down to the signings we made, some were great, some were dire and that responsibility falls with the management. I'd say I was more pissed off at dropping 4pts against P'boro and losing to Blackpool in the 90th minute that I was at losing narrowly to Arsenal and Chelsea, but I remember being angry that we could have won them but didn't.
Wasn't that under Dowie? (if it wasn't, it would mean I never saw us score a goal with Dowie as manager, as from Kilbane in that game the next goal I saw in the flesh was Koren vs Ipswich about 4,500 miles of travelling to and from games later)
