Awaiting A New Happening
February 2011 to March 2022 is a long time in football. Clubs change direction, managers come and go as do players themselves of course. New gems of young talent emerge, either from within a club’s own youth set up or as imported loan players who suddenly sparkle. They will also stay or, most likely in our case, go if they show real quality. At BCFC we have endured these eleven years with the lifting of the Carling Cup as the sole beacon of joy, although the first season back in the Championship and the European adventure with Chris Houghton at the helm delivered many memorable moments.
As far as the decade that followed is concerned, we have been denied of any real intent of progress. Escaping relegation and surviving in general has been the overriding target. This campaign we have once again dodged the lower league trap door…or at least it looks that way…and we are left hoping the close season will bring a new change to our fortunes leading to better results next term. Realistically, though, we are in an even harder battle to secure a top six spot with relegated clubs still benefiting from parachute payments. Let’s hope the Fan Led Review really does manage to deliver reform of that particular issue.
We know the system and we accept the facts, but we still have hope and belief that next time around we might just find a formula to get into a play-off position by seasons end. Where we are right now at Blues we have to think along these lines, because mega cash is not around the corner as far as I can see. Maybe Messrs. Dutton and Gardner know different. My point is centred on the ‘here and now’, but of course we have been here before and the ‘here and now’ is becoming monotonous and frustrating after so many seasons of disappointment. The question is do we as BCFC, which carries the second City’s name, have the determination to plot a true business plan for a Premier League return?
Eleven seasons out of the top tier is either acceptable with our hierarchy or it is not. If, as I hope it isn’t, then now is the time to get serious. Talk of transition always sounds good, and it encourages us supporters to believe that old dead wood will be eased out and new younger talents will replace. But it is hollow if no improvement is achieved.
My hope is that transition doesn’t go on for ever and our forthcoming twelfth Championship season really does raise levels of satisfaction. St. Andrew’s open for all would be a good start, and a clear statement of intent. Money will not be the obvious solution and therefore a new blueprint is necessary. Luton, Coventry and Huddersfield have achieved that this season and given themselves a decent shot at the play-offs.
Since that delirious February day in 2011, when Wembley triumph was beyond football happiness, surely there must be a second space in the souls of all Blues followers to experience another happening?
Mitchell Bray
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It’s a shame Ernst and Young can’t be held accountable for our current predicament, it was they who were tasked with finding new owners after the Carsen Yeung debacle and from what I remember had at least 6 interested parties, they chose Paul Suen Cho Hung who made it clear he was only interested in the HKSE listing of BSH and NOT BCFC. E&Y imo chose the wrong suiter and probably only chose him because of his business reputation in HK, a man that had no interest in football whatsoever. They failed in their duty.
Chris. you are 100% spot on. I remember that time very well thinking exactly the same. E&Y made a few million. We as supporters were just pleased TTA came in amidst dreadful rumours we were about to do a Bury. Little did we know
Mitchell I was following on Often partisan and Dan Ivery aka Almajir went out to HK and gave regular updates and like you say everyone seemed happy at the news but now I just think we were totally shafted!!
Are we looking for new buyers ? Apparently a syndicate from the midlands are bidding for Chelsea ,around 3 billion allegedly. They could buy us for a fraction of that and try to take us to the next level . Imagine if they took us into the premier league with a hint of success they would be looked on as gods ! I am sure this could be achieved for a lot less than 3 billion, or am I just dreaming ?
Another good article Mitchell. Clearly heartfelt. And some good observations from Chris and Mick too. I share the sentiment of course, but after 10 consecutive seasons of crushing disappointment my ambitions for the club have been seriously curtailed.
It really is a very long way back to the promised land from here.
For my part, I would simply be happy if some form of genuine improvement was shown and maintained, and if we began to win a few more games each season. Just a handful, that’s all. Enough to move our points total into the 60’s for a change, and to allow us to enjoy a spring without the nagging fear of relegation.
A quick skip over the last 5 seasons, including the current one, reveals a very sorry picture. A win rate of just 28% (62 games in total) is dreadful. That’s just slightly better than one win every four matches for heavens sake. We have not won more than 14 games in a single season, and we don’t look like achieving that this time around either. Never achieved more than 52 points in a season, or a league position higher than 17th. An average points per game of 1.08. I could go on.
I know the fans focus in recent weeks has been on the question of ownership. I get that and to a large extent I have similar frustrations. Like you, I hope the up coming Fan Led Review really will shake the tree in that regard. But as big a concern for me this past decade has been the competence…or rather the lack of it…shown by those running the club, both on and off the pitch. I can’t help thinking that with better management in place we might not have found ourselves in this awful state.
Oh well…..! Who knows, a win this afternoon might just be the start of the long road back after all. Here’s hoping.
KRO