Accrington Stanley

[StMonkton]

Sorry if this breaches forum protocol but as it was my first ever post I rather hoped for a bit more response.

I think it is relevant to these discussions so I repeat my post.

Hi all. Pompey fail again and I join the forum for the first time. No idea why one step follows the other.

Somehow this feels a different fail than in previous seasons where we seemed to stumble at season’s end and narrowly miss what we ‘deserved ‘ Be honest, did anyone really believe we would see Championship football next season any later than January?

I think you could argue this year that we did get what we deserved.

None of us likes being a third tier club for another season, so here’s hoping next time is properly different.

Two thoughts come to mind:

1 Managers.

Very, very few managers are consistently successful. Most fail first time out. A large proportion of the remainder have one or two successes and a number of failures.
With few exceptions appointing a new manager is a huge gamble with low odds of success. Some posters here and elsewhere seem to think that if only the club were smart enough to pick their personal favourite, promotion would be assured.
Let’s all hope we’re lucky.

2. Loans.
It seems to me our recent seasons have seen us prosper until New Year, then struggle thereafter. A couple of seasons ago we lost effective loaners on Jan 1st and didn’t replace until the end of the widow
Is this a financial choice? Do we wait to see who’s available cheaply at the end of Jan? I would say a run of 4 or 5 poor results mid season is a pretty expensive way to play the market. Loanees are crucial in this league. Do you think we should’ve be doing better?

Promise to be briefer next time!

I think I needed to get that off my chest.

[Dinksy]

Welcome StM. Don't worry it can be a bit cliquey on here. Good point about the mid-season recruits. It's been a weakness for some time and underlines the importance of getting things right in the summer. That said, our summer recruitment hasn't been great in recent years either!

[Weybridge]

Sorry if this breaches forum protocol but as it was my first ever post I rather hoped for a bit more response.

I think it is relevant to these discussions so I repeat my post.

Hi all. Pompey fail again and I join the forum for the first time. No idea why one step follows the other.

Somehow this feels a different fail than in previous seasons where we seemed to stumble at season’s end and narrowly miss what we ‘deserved ‘ Be honest, did anyone really believe we would see Championship football next season any later than January?

I think you could argue this year that we did get what we deserved.

None of us likes being a third tier club for another season, so here’s hoping next time is properly different.

Two thoughts come to mind:

1 Managers.

Very, very few managers are consistently successful. Most fail first time out. A large proportion of the remainder have one or two successes and a number of failures.
With few exceptions appointing a new manager is a huge gamble with low odds of success. Some posters here and elsewhere seem to think that if only the club were smart enough to pick their personal favourite, promotion would be assured.
Let’s all hope we’re lucky.

2. Loans.
It seems to me our recent seasons have seen us prosper until New Year, then struggle thereafter. A couple of seasons ago we lost effective loaners on Jan 1st and didn’t replace until the end of the widow
Is this a financial choice? Do we wait to see who’s available cheaply at the end of Jan? I would say a run of 4 or 5 poor results mid season is a pretty expensive way to play the market. Loanees are crucial in this league. Do you think we should’ve be doing better?

Promise to be briefer next time!

I think I needed to get that off my chest.

Both valid points.

As you say, the manager is always going to be a gamble. Every club has to balance results with attractive football and any manager who can consistently produce both is in high demand. KJ (among others) prefers the direct approach, and it works. Get the ball into the box more often and you'll score more. That was the John Beck philosophy. Like it or not, KJ was one of the most successful managers we've ever had for a win percentage. The quality of football though just made the defeats even uglier though.

Plus much of it also comes down to having the right manager for the right player. A player who's been under the wing of a gentle-touch manager for much of his career is going to respond negatively to a disciplinarian. And vice versa. I think if many of the squad are released, the Cowleys are going to have an opportunity to recruit 'their' players - in every sense.

As for loans, they are always going to a big factor in L1 and L2. I've never understood the fans' hand-wringing at why we are loaning again, and not buying Joe Midfielder from Team X in the Championship. The answer of course, is Joe Midfielder doesn't want to permanently drop a division when the Premiership is only a good run of games away. Players want to look up, not down.

[Betelgeuse]

Here are some stats on average attendances for the last 20 years. Covid notwithstanding I see nothing on there to suggest a decline in attendances. In fact the season 18/19 was our highest average attendance for a decade. Unless you have some data to back up your fears I see no reason to worry about declining attendances anytime soon.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-port ... erein/1020

That's not to say I don't agree it would be good to see FP with a good lick of paint and some decent refurbishments. Conference facilities and the like are a great way to increase revenue and I'd be all for anything that increases money coming in.

I'm sorry Sam but those stats include all our time in the Premier League, and successful seasons hand picked.
I can remember plenty of games where there were 8 or 9000 in the Park. Not saying it will drop to that but if there is little progress on the pitch then people will begin to vote with their feet.

If you think that a lick of paint and improved facilities in an ageing limited capacity stadium will suffice then you probably have very low expectations levels. I don't want to see us tread water while Ipswich, Oxford, Lincoln, Burton all rise above us and leave us behind, but if we don't invest some real money now then that's the risk we take.

[Betelgeuse]

Sorry if this breaches forum protocol but as it was my first ever post I rather hoped for a bit more response.

I think it is relevant to these discussions so I repeat my post.

Hi all. Pompey fail again and I join the forum for the first time. No idea why one step follows the other.

Somehow this feels a different fail than in previous seasons where we seemed to stumble at season’s end and narrowly miss what we ‘deserved ‘ Be honest, did anyone really believe we would see Championship football next season any later than January?

I think you could argue this year that we did get what we deserved.

None of us likes being a third tier club for another season, so here’s hoping next time is properly different.

Two thoughts come to mind:

1 Managers.

Very, very few managers are consistently successful. Most fail first time out. A large proportion of the remainder have one or two successes and a number of failures.
With few exceptions appointing a new manager is a huge gamble with low odds of success. Some posters here and elsewhere seem to think that if only the club were smart enough to pick their personal favourite, promotion would be assured.
Let’s all hope we’re lucky.

2. Loans.
It seems to me our recent seasons have seen us prosper until New Year, then struggle thereafter. A couple of seasons ago we lost effective loaners on Jan 1st and didn’t replace until the end of the widow
Is this a financial choice? Do we wait to see who’s available cheaply at the end of Jan? I would say a run of 4 or 5 poor results mid season is a pretty expensive way to play the market. Loanees are crucial in this league. Do you think we should’ve be doing better?

Promise to be briefer next time!

I think I needed to get that off my chest.

Good points and welcome!

My view is that we cooked up hugely giving Jackett an extension and he should have been sacked after the Sunderland play off. The Cowleys have a history of success albeit at lower level, and although not my first choice they shouldbe backed financially. I'm intrigued as to why the length of contract hasn't been revealed. I have suspicions over this.

As regards loans we have proved to be absolutely abysmal in this department, notable exception being Ben Thompson.
I don't know much about our head of recruitment Phil Boardman but I'd give him a 5/10 so far. Just imagine if we'd signed Stockley on loan for instance.

[Sam_Brown]

I'm sorry Sam but those stats include all our time in the Premier League, and successful seasons hand picked.

I think you need to check the link again. It's a list of the average home league attendances per season for the last 20 years. There is nothing hand picked about it.

[Pompey Penguin]

As regards loans we have proved to be absolutely abysmal in this department, notable exception being Ben Thompson.

Steve Seddon would like a word.

Despite that, I agree with your point regarding our overall record with loans in L1. I do wonder if we too often sign someone just because we think we need a signing to keep fans happy, rather than with any idea as to what they will contribute. I would prefer a strategy of fewer but better quality loans where we can clearly see their role and what they bring to the team that we don't already possess.

[Betelgeuse]

I'm sorry Sam but those stats include all our time in the Premier League, and successful seasons hand picked.

I think you need to check the link again. It's a list of the average home league attendances per season for the last 20 years. There is nothing hand picked about it.

I know I can see that. However 8 of those seasons were in the Premier League not League 1. The last season I attended which was 2019/20 there were hundreds of empty seats in the Fratton End as people didn't bother showing up despite having season tickets. What I'm saying is that if we stagnate in league one I expect attendances to drop off. Especially with no movement on the stadium.
I'm not sure how old you are but in the 70's 80's and 90's there were many below 10k attendances, let's hope we don't go there again.

[Sam_Brown]

I'm sorry Sam but those stats include all our time in the Premier League, and successful seasons hand picked.

I think you need to check the link again. It's a list of the average home league attendances per season for the last 20 years. There is nothing hand picked about it.

I know I can see that. However 8 of those seasons were in the Premier League not League 1. The last season I attended which was 2019/20 there were hundreds of empty seats in the Fratton End as people didn't bother showing up despite having season tickets. What I'm saying is that if we stagnate in league one I expect attendances to drop off. Especially with no movement on the stadium.
I'm not sure how old you are but in the 70's 80's and 90's there were many below 10k attendances, let's hope we don't go there again.

It’s an average. There is no hand picking going on. I still reject that comment. The fact our recent full seasons we are getting averages close to when we were in the prem says all I need to know about our fans.

Also when we were getting below 10k attendances the stadium wasn’t as old as it is now so you can’t blame those numbers on the stadium.

Maybe if Big Mac moved the goalposts as much as you we’d have kept a few more clean sheets .

[Betelgeuse]

I'm sorry Sam but those stats include all our time in the Premier League, and successful seasons hand picked.

I think you need to check the link again. It's a list of the average home league attendances per season for the last 20 years. There is nothing hand picked about it.

I know I can see that. However 8 of those seasons were in the Premier League not League 1. The last season I attended which was 2019/20 there were hundreds of empty seats in the Fratton End as people didn't bother showing up despite having season tickets. What I'm saying is that if we stagnate in league one I expect attendances to drop off. Especially with no movement on the stadium.
I'm not sure how old you are but in the 70's 80's and 90's there were many below 10k attendances, let's hope we don't go there again.

It’s an average. There is no hand picking going on. I still reject that comment. The fact our recent full seasons we are getting averages close to when we were in the prem says all I need to know about our fans.

Also when we were getting below 10k attendances the stadium wasn’t as old as it is now so you can’t blame those numbers on the stadium.

Maybe if Big Mac moved the goalposts as much as you we’d have kept a few more clean sheets .

I haven't moved the goalposts my friend. I'm just explaining that a prolonged stay at this level will cause attendances to drop.
Factor in the lack of movement on the stadium front and gradually people will get fed up if we don't get out of this division.

[Betelgeuse]

That was really boring for everyone, apologies!!