Sadly for me, changes at work mean Iâm not able to post in the day anymore, and my evenings and weekends are swallowed by my part-time degree study, as well as the usual other commitments. With that in mind, realistically Iâm not going to be around to contribute, so itâs time to go. I didnât want to just leave without a âthanks for the companyâ, so here it is. When I first âmetâ most of you we were third tier, debt ridden and with a less than impressive squad of new signings. We were a club in utter turmoil both on and off the pitch, and possibly, no, probably at the clubâs lowest ever point. Enter Paul Lambert. The work heâs done has been incredible, it will never be possible to sing his praises enough. Whatever happens this season or in those to come, we will look back on this period with a misty eyed fondness for the rest of our lives. In my opinion, heâs overtaken Saunders, heâs probably overtaken Bond. Can he do the same with Brown, Stringer and Walker? Well, the sort of league finishes they achieved have probably gone for clubs of our size, but if we make allowance for the disparity in wealth that exists now, he could well surpass them too. In the last two and a bit seasons, we have lived through the most remarkable of journeys. Weâre not the club we were two decades ago, but weâre closer than weâve been at any point since, and the future thatâs being built offers the promise of some great times to come. A debt hugely reduced (possibly soon to go), a squad of committed talented players thatâs been added to with some very promising young players (probably bought for less than their value), plans for a youth system revolution, and currently an unfeasibly good league position. After so long, the demons our club has battled since that mid-nineties relegation are finally being shaken off. Whoâd have thought the recovery would start where and when it did, or that so much could be achieved so fast? Itâs been great to share in whatâs happened with you all, both new posters here on ânotâ, and the old guard on the BBC. I hope to pop in from time to time, but if not, thanks for the company. Cheers all
Good luck with the work and the degree Exile. Even if it is for only the briefest of briefest of briefest (hell, you get the point) brief visits, pop back and see us from time to time. We'll still be here, and you will not be forgotten
Sad to see you go, Exile, one of my favourite posters for your excellent views, and for the way you always kept a level head and didn't get tangled up in petty disputes. Any chance of giving me a few pointers how that's done? Good luck with the degree, as someone who's also done it in my spare time, I know how hard it can be. Oddly, when I did mine (via OU), we were also rocking the league. I did a summer school in Reading in 1993, a pretty good year!, and all the guys were saying how good we were! A proud feeling, I can tell you. You summarise where we are now very well, do pop by from time to time, give those brain cells a rest, and immerse yourself in the usual old mindless bollux on here! (Just kidding )
Good luck with work, the degree, and everything life throws at you in the future. Hope it all goes well for you, Exile.
Exile, you state your case perfectly as with all your posts! We shall be a poorer place for your leaving but, as others have said, do pop back from time to time, even if only to let us know how you're getting on in your studies! Good luck my friend!
Sorry to hear this, Exile, although with a workload like that the last thing you need are too many distractions. Your points are always well thought and succinct and your input will be missed. Do remember to stick your head over the parapet on occasions, and you know, guide us if we're veering off the straight and narrow Good luck and thanks, bud.
It saddens me, I won´t pretend But good things do come to an end, Sometimes, so they say Good luck on your way With whatever your plans are my friend. OTBC
