Do we just belong near the top?

Without blowing our own trumpets, this is everything. Our fanbase is huge, it's how we managed to come out of our bad spell virtually unscathed. We had an average attendance in the CCC that was still the 4th best in the country. Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan, struggle to fill a ground with 30k capacities.

It's all about us, POWER TO THE FANBASE!!

 

You say that no club goes from promotion to here within 2 years? Right, well Reading finished 7th in their first season. Wigan and West Ham both finished in the top 10, with the latter seconds away from an FA Cup triumph.

The walls came crumbling down for those clubs pretty damn quickly then. I'm not getting carried away here (ignore the username), as I know from my times supporting Newcastle, that the good times can be snatched away pretty damn quickly.

Let's not forget that just six seasons separated a Champions League campaign and relegation for us. Let me ask you a similar question....how many clubs do THAT?

 

You've got to admit though, we've been INCREDIBLY fortunate. Every decision seems to have just clicked without any trouble, and any bad problems have turned out to do us a world of good. Just seems too good to be true.

 

Cant disagree with that point like, its really just been one big success story since we were promoted, obviously there's been the odd low time aswell, but we never looked like being relegated and in our second season back we haven't been lower than 7th all season.

I remember literally about half of the mackems on their board or on RTG saying we'd suffer second season syndrome, well if this is second season syndrome then I'd like us to stay infected

 

It is silly.

If it's not 1st it's not worth it

It's not about divine right, obviously everyhting in life must be earned (for most) - but there are certain factors that would give someone great faith that we'll not simply capitulate and disappear altogether. The fact it's a one-club city for a start.

 

Our fan base does deserve to be there for the way that they stuck by the team, even when it was in the ****ter. We still go a 44k average in the CC, which is ****ing fantastic.

Regardless of what some people on here say about the atmospheres not being there in enough games, the fans are loyal.

 

I've added a piece to the thread just so people stop getting the wrong end of the stick.

 

Agree that our fans probably deserve some good times and to be high up the table for all the **** we've had to suffer, as do a lot of other clubs fans, not just us. But this still doesn't give us the RIGHT to be there.

 

It isn't down to luck, its because when we went down we kept hold of good players, players who on their day are actually good premier league players but were just under-achieving, mix that with some good youth players coming through, and we easily romped the Championship.

So when we got promoted, we had a ready made Premier-league squad more gelled and mature, and to this some savy signings to the squad and we jumped up the league!


This luck/ shortcut is merely good management behind the seens and using our reputation in the past to our advantage!

 

Never said it did, no one has the right to be there, but our fans deserve success after putting up with the **** we've had to put up with for the last 4/5 years or so.

Once we get rid of Xisco and Smith I think that will mark us getting rid of the **** for good and really pushing to a new era.

 

I wouldn't call it luck either, but I'd call it good fortune. I swear some ****ing mint players seemed to have just fallen into our lap, whereas other teams spend fortunes on some players and waste their money.

It's like we've just wandered in, plucked out Ben Arfa, Cabaye, Tiote, Ba, Krul and Coloccini, and then just wandered back out again. Seems too effortless.

 

Blackburn were never a big club, they were just fortunate to have a genuine fan who backed them. Right team, right time. Yes they challanged for and indeed won the league but they were in that position for 2, maybe 3 seasons at best. Not the makings of a big club IMO.

 

This! Massively this... Where do you get off with stuff like that? Nobody has a right to 'be at the top'... and we certainly have the capacity to **** it up as much as anybody.

The way things are going at present is a VERY refreshing change. Long may it continue, and lets not rely on our 'right' to be nearer the top than the bottom, but try to improve across the board to make sure we stay there.

OP = The King of Delusion...

 

How can any team "belong" near the top. Leeds belong where they are, as do Forrest and the Sheffield teams. Forrest winning 2 European cups means nothinf 30 odd years later. You belong where your results get you.

 

Seems someone is unable to read that block of bolded text I put in the first post on this thread.

You've just written yourself into the helmet list son.

 

No one belongs there.

There are fan bases that deserve success because of their loyalty, but no one belongs in the top 4.

 

I suppose it's just a balance thing, really. What we're used to. For example, Leeds are where they are, but does it feel 'right' that they're there? To me, not really. If they came back up into the Premier League at the expense of some **** team like Wigan, it would feel a bit like balance has been restored.

PS: It turns out you can say it about another team just fine, but when you say it about your own team, it's delusion ahoy. I think people care a little too much about what the fans of other clubs think. It feels right that we're in the top half of the table, and I'm not afraid to say it.

 

Backpeddling???

 

Horseshit. Teams finish were they deserve to based on ability. No one belongs/deserves to be at the top for being seen as a ''big club'' or having a great fanbase.

 

This.