Trojan 67 wrote:
Oi ! No !
That brings back bad memories of 1967/68 season when our end of season collapse saw us blow the chance of our first ever experience of Division 2 (now the Championship).
The gates at Plainmoor slowly but surely started to drop after that and all because many were convinced that the directors of the time supposedly didn't want promotion because "we couldn't afford it".
The damage was done. At the end of '68, O'Farrell was gone and the break up of the team that Frank built had begun.
What ever the attitude, so is the response. History will repeat itself unless the attitude in the boardroom is anything other that united and positive for League One football.
Are we not behaving a bit previous here. We haven't really a clue on what the boards attitude is to promotion. Have any of us been privvy to any board meetings where Promotion and it's consequences been discussed. I doubt it, Yet here we are again doubting the boards ability to want to gain promotion or even stay up if promoted.
The last collapse was lamentable but it has been and will forever only be heresay and conjecture as to why we blew it. Rumours abound and still abound about the reasons all those years ago and still rear their ugly heads as to why we failed when in such a good position. '
They still have not gone away and unfortunatly I doubt they ever will, I can only think that Brucies dad or young Brucie was around then.
But one thing does remain.
The present board is here to stay.
They set out a 5 year plan
They have more than achieved that 5 year plan and if they do go up then the plan is well ahead.
We have no idea what the board thinks now.
I doubt we will ever have a real idea of what the board thinks now.
The board is a completly new board from all previous boards
You lot still think that despite all this ever member of Torquay United's Board automaticaly gets this odd desease where they suddenly get afflicted with we can't afford to go up.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY THINK. SO DON'T BURY EM YET!
One or two facts do remain that affect us going up.
Bigger attendances are not gauranteed. I have seen larger average season crowds for relegation battles than I have for this last 4 years success on and off the pitch. and the lack of bums on seats at the moment is worrying.
We have a long term plan which may take years to put our club back in the memory of the townsfolk who think we died years ago.
This plan is based on very hard work which must not be let up and the grind will get us down sometimes but it has to happen.
When this work is starting to reap it's harvest it will still take a while to take our gates up to what they should be.
we are also working agains't a long term decline of the area where intsead of working families we have an aging population and an ever increasing largess of the unemplyed who take the attititude of if we can't or won't work why not do it in an area where we can live with great scenery. I do know some of those I am talking about personaly.
We also have a few prevailing attitudes among our own fans where they want the board to change who stands where and when. so that they can go in the present away end yet still have their drinkies at half time.
That's a bit like saying not what can I do for the country but what can the country do for me.
We should be saying to the board.
What can we do to max our crowds for every fixture and be flexible as to whom stands where each and every match. so that if we can only gaurantee 3,000 fans every match the rest will have to come from away fans if the oportunity arises. if that means we give the away stand or the whole of Bristows bench to away fans then so be it. If we have to give the away fans half the ground then so be it. we cannot afford to pansy about. the money does have to come in, don't get too worried about how it comes in just get it in. Bums on seats. who's doesn't matter, but bums on seats.
It's been worrying and very disapointing that of the three main matches this season, only one of them has given rise to an attendance of more than 4,000. that's awfull. and the other two were below that. we should have said how many do you want to bring and then set about telling our fans that we want promotion then the pop side will be needed for away fans for this one day. Let them pay for our promotion. Don't let your set attitudes lose us money.
Flippin eckythump. If they asked me to climb the tree outside so they could get one more fan in Plaimoor I would. anything to see us where we want to be. I would sit on the roof of Bristows bench if it raised a few quid more. I would sit there worrying about not having a half time drink. There's plenty of time after for that. Lets get the money if from them thar away supporters and blow the temp discomfort.
Now the real question should be
NOT WHAT CAN THE CLUB DO FOR US, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THE CLUB!!
