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yellow wrote:I can see where you are coming from Troj, but I think that a season of struggle would set back both momentum and morale.

We have been there, done that, and got the T shirt.

Automatic promotion in 2004 was a great moment in the club s history but the subsequent (albeit unfortunate) relegation of 2005 was followed by the unlikely great escape of 2006, and then the trap door finally opening in 2007.

I would like to think that, if and when we go up, we are prepared and able to consolidate.

Things as they stand are different now. With or without promotion we will have to live within our means, which means development of young players. The "youth policy" of the manager is doing just fine and if the current crop of first team "youngsters" can develop further, together with youngsters brought in on loan from higher Division clubs, then the future looks promising.

All could go tits up if the side is broken up and/or the manager departs.

Fair dos then Gulli.

I am not a Bateson groupie, but I do think that some people are completely unappreciative of what he did.

He was, after all, all that we had!

No one else was prepared to step in at that time. He wanted to sell, but had no offers until that shyster Roberts turned up. He oversaw our survival as a league club for many years and in 2004 delivered automatic promotion. That was my best moment as a Gull and I think it disingenuous of those that criticise MB not to give him some credit too (however fleeting).

Be careful what you wish for is the lesson from the sale to Roberts.

I do not dispute that the new board are probably as good as it gets . But this is TUFC and in the words of a certain moptop Liverpudlian the road ahead is a long a winding one.