Which is easily the worst in the league. Even Sheffield Utd, West Brom and Fulham have more. Only thing that really matters is we’re safe, but wow it’s been an awful 4/5 months.
Yeah, I mean I know I'm being a maximum pessimist but without major change this summer we are down next season imo. Sheffield United did a lesser version of our collapse last season and just continued the form into this season, can very much see us doing the same. But lets focus on the positives at least we will likely get to witness it all first hand!
If Brentford come up this time, how many here are going to make the trip to the Brentford Stadium to chalk off another new ground, if and when fans can return?
The pandemic has undoubtedly been a factor in our struggling since January. The players haven’t been able to use the recovery facilities at Staplewood, such as the cryochamber and so on. I don’t know how that compares with other clubs, but with a thin squad like ours, it’s been massive. As well as having fans back, the players will be better looked-after between games next season.
Considering we are second in the league with tackles, and pretty close when it comes to pressures, it's absolutely taken its toll on a small squad. Covid has affected all clubs, but some have been hit far harder then others. Add in the condensed season, no access to recovery etc and it's been an almost perfect imperfect storm. With Crocker, Semmens and Ralph, I feel like we're in good hands regardless if the club changes ownership this Summer or not.
Thought you would!!! Not as nice a location as the Cotttage though. Any bets on Fulham coming back up again next season?
Maybe I’m being melodramatic but this has been the worst season I have ever witnessed as a Saints fan. Ive been a fan since 1989, double relegation etc was bad but our capitulation and miserable form has been so depressing. To see us top in November and narrowly stay up is woeful. I am a bit worried about next season, however surely there will be other clubs with similar difficulties?
So, Chris Wood scored the goal that relegated Fulham, so that basically means New Zealand secured Saints Premiership status, which basically means that I feel like I've done a great job. Thank me later, or now, whichever you prefer.
This is precisely my opinion. There should be a large dose of ignominy if we finish below Brighton. In a normal season, we would not have been ten points clear and the points acquired by the three relegated teams is indicative of how poor the league has been this season..
Yep me too. Had some highs, notably going top, a few great performances & getting to FAC SF but the way we slid down the league, damp squib SF & some really abject league performances, I’m concerned. League doesn’t lie.
So if we win tonight, and go 14th, everyone will be happy and say it's a good season now? 14th is a good result with a squad like ours.
Everyone!? I’ll be over the moon if we win tonight and we could indeed get a few good results before season ends & finish higher than where we are now (hope we do, especially at £2.4M/position - 14th could be the difference in buying a £10M player or a just a loan) but I’ve a feeling we’ll be lower come season end.
Our second season under Lawrie McMenemy was dire with Lew Chatterley in midfield for starters to show just how bad we were. The most awful football I have ever seen. I didn't have a season ticket and it was the closest I have come to giving up on watching the Saints. Just as well Saints only have a few fair weather fans.
That’s what I mean though. If the league doesn’t lie, then 14th is a good season overall. Though some would have you believe we’re the worst team since Stoke.
Yes if the league season had gone a bit differently (ie we hadn't had such a top heavy first half of the season picking up points, and it was more evenly spread in terms of when we won games) I think people would be happier, and something like 14th would be seen as a decent season. Before the season started though weren't Saints fans one of the more optimistic? I know because of how we performed in the restart last season there were quite a few saying we should be targeting "best of the rest" and maybe a European push. So for those fans 14th should be a disappointment. Yes it has been a weird season, but we are not alone in that. I don't think it is really an excuse for how poor we have been in the second half of the season. As I've mentioned a few times look at someone like Leeds who to my knowledge have a similar sized squad to us and play a more intense style and they have been able to do it all season. Ultimately we have survived, we aren't sacking Ralph, so we should just get behind the team and see what happens in the summer regarding recruitment and see how we are doing in say November time.
Yep agreed. Nobody is saying the second half hasn't been a horror show, much as the first half was some of the most exciting times to be a Saints fan that we've had in many years. Just people tend to remember the most recent part!
I don't know that I agree, honestly. A situation where the points were more uniform is one where we'd likely have needed to sweat relegation for some portion of it, so the reaction might not necessarily be more positive if we'd be hanging around 16th/17th for three months, rather than finding ourselves in that position when survival was all but a certainty.