Sitting here watching the 2nd half of weds game again (2-0 currently) and wondering. When we were championship contenders, we just wanted a shot at the premier league. We got there, it's tough going, we just want to survive, just so we can try again next year. If we stay up, what do we hope for and what do we expect next year? Would you be happy to remain a prem scrapper year in, year out, as was seemingly a dream 6,7 years ago? Or do you expect us to become a club confident of retaining our status every mid march? If we achieve that, how long does that remain acceptable? Is this, perhaps, the least thrilling category to find yourself in? Going nowhere, nerves rarely tested, blood pressure normal. A 20 second thought has taken 20 mins to write - we're 3 up now, 83 played, and that wasn't normal baccy I just enjoyed. Massive game tomorrow, can't wait. We love you rangers, we do.
To stay up this year and to avoid a bout of SSS and just staying up again next year. After that, pushing on up to mid-table in the third season.
Agreed. Comfortably get 15th next season and establish ourselves a bit. Bring in and bed in (?) some new and younger players. Year three start looking for a 10th-12th place position Depends on What MH does this summer i reckon.....!
Hi Woody - just got back from the pub, read your post and thought: are you talking about rangers? where rollercoaster rides are the order of the day? where managers, owners, players, mascots - even club badges -change unexpectedly and often? where guns in the boardroom, transfer shenanigans, disputes with the FA and promotion/relegation (delete as appropriate) are annual ghosts in the machine? Mid-table mediocrity sounds blissful, like being 3 up against Swansea with 10 minutes to play...
I think we can soon become mid table finishers and at some point start tickling the higher reaches and then who knows after that. But first we need to survive.
I'm very happy Woody. I'm happy with my life and I'm happy with the choice of team that I've bought into. I love QPR and everything that goes with it, our history, our fans, our colours and watching us play amongst the many other elements that make us what we are. Of course, like most other of our fans, I eff and blind when we suffer defeat or an injustice. It usually takes about 48 hours to get it out of my system and move on. Reverting back to your initial question though, I would ask... ' Is any football fan ever happy? ' From one end of the spectrum you have Macclesfield and Hereford fighting for their football league lives, right up to United and City trying to win the Premiership. So are Macclesfield and Hereford happy? No. Are United and City happy?.......... Even if you win the Premiership, after the initial euphoria comes the angst of retaining it, and if you cannot do that, you will feel that you have failed. It is only human nature to forget what you wished for previously and then attaining it. We always want to do better at whatever stage we are in life, whether that be personal or financial, bigger house or car, whatever. That is the western way and mindset. I think there comes a point when you have to draw a line and hope for the best but accept what is now. This is very much the case with our beloved Rangers. We wanted to get here, we're here. We are playing the biggest teams in England and have beaten some of them and can beat those that await us. This is the magic that football gives us, the drug that drives us to attend game after game. We are chasing the dragon, we thrive on that Chelsea win, when your heart is bouncing around your chest with surreal belief. That incredible victory against the 'Pool with only thirteen minutes remaining and now add to that Arsenal and Swansea. I bet those that went to those games are smiling at the memories. It feels great doesn't it? Little victories and moments captured in my mind for ever, that makes me happy. No football fan is ever truly happy. The sooner you realise this, the sooner you will be.
Nines, that was poetry. I wish the players could read that just before they step out against West Brom.
It's the lows that allow you to experience the highs. The fact there's not so many highs makes them all the better. Stay in the prem and be a consistent performer and I'll be happy(ier) cos as nines said so beautifully it's great as it is. P.S. see you at 8 at the blue oyster 9's?
Jesus Christ nines..i didnt realise you were capable of something like that..... Top Top Post......well said "my Rangers brother"...
We have been out of the prem for 15 years. A lot has passed us by during this period. We must remember that we are a small club. There is absolutely nothing wrong in saying this. I will say it again, we are a small club. It's probably one of the main reasons why we all love it. QPR may be a small club, but it's our club and we love it with all our heart. I got a bit despondent several weeks ago with some of the absolute sh**e that people were writing on this forum. We had waited 15 long years to get back in the Prem and some guys were throwing the towel in way too easily for my liking. The negative rubbish that was written here was a joke. Some people showed how very short their memories were. Why wait 15 years for something and then be prepared to let it go so easily. I am talking about the fans here and not the players or management. We must remember our roots. Not that long ago we were in administration. Not that long ago we were in the third tier of English football. Not that long ago we went through 4 managers in one season. Carlsberg don't do nightmares but if they did......... Its important that we keep all of this in perspective when we ask ourselves, what is success. For our club, success is just being in the Prem, It's what we all dream about as QPR fans. We have an 18,000 capacity stadium. We should not be able to sustain success with these facilities. Our future involvement in the Prem is dependant on our wealthy owners staying with us for at least the next 7-10 years. During this period we can take the Sky revenue and build proper Prem Club foundations. A youth academy of our own, proper training facilities, a modern multi-functional 30000 seater stadium, and a squad that can be competative. All of this takes time and lots of money. For the first time in my living memory we have an absolute "golden ticket" with our owners. In fairness to them, they have kept almost all of there initial promises. How happy am i now, i am over the buckin moon. The simple answer to your question once you keep in mind our history and club size is that our future depends on our owners. With them we can grow slowly and surely. Prem survival every year is all that matters initially as the Sky revenue will build us from the bottom up. After 5 years we will be able to consider ourselves an established prem outfit seeking mid table security. IMHO without these owners we will not be financially capable of retaining Prem survival. Enjoy the ride, enjoy the highs and lows. We don't do easy.
Over the years I have talked football with many people from all walks of life, many of them from London and when asked who they support the reply is often Man U or Liverpool as well as Arsenal or Chelsea. Talking to them you realise they are not real football supporters, they're simply modern day glory hunters who latch onto a winning team, usually in the past 10-15 years. Ask them about teams or players from the Busby/Shankly/Mee/Sexton era and they glaze over and you clearly see they know sweet FA about their clubs. Yet I've known quite a few who laugh when I say I'm an R's fan and make comments like 'How can you support a team that wins nothing?' or 'It must be tough supporting a rubbish team'. My reply to them is always the same, when you support a smaller club the victories are sweeter and more memorable and I wouldn't have it any other way. Rangers are the ULTIMATE rollercoaster ride, life would be far too boring if we were winning every week...
