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Hit Rock Bottom?


paulwantsapint
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Personally I don't think that we have yet reached our lowest point. The problem now though is the recovery period and what constitutes recovery. Obviously we should be aiming to play in the Premier League - but I honestly cannot see that happening in the short term (5 years). I would take stabilisation right now - a couple of seasons in L1, playing decent football and getting the kids experienced. At least that would stop the downward spiral, hopefully instil some confidence and perhaps put a few bums on seats at SMS.

 

After that, we need to start re-building this club to the level it once performed at - how, I'm not sure..! I'm not confident that whoever buys us will be coming in with big bucks and therefore I think we will have to play our way out as opposed to paying our way out. So I don't think that it will be easy or happen overnight - but I do know that we need to stop the decline and build a solid footing before we can start to look at climbing the leagues once again.

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Personally I don't think that we have yet reached our lowest point. The problem now though is the recovery period and what constitutes recovery. Obviously we should be aiming to play in the Premier League - but I honestly cannot see that happening in the short term (5 years). I would take stabilisation right now - a couple of seasons in L1, playing decent football and getting the kids experienced. At least that would stop the downward spiral, hopefully instil some confidence and perhaps put a few bums on seats at SMS.

 

After that, we need to start re-building this club to the level it once performed at - how, I'm not sure..! I'm not confident that whoever buys us will be coming in with big bucks and therefore I think we will have to play our way out as opposed to paying our way out. So I don't think that it will be easy or happen overnight - but I do know that we need to stop the decline and build a solid footing before we can start to look at climbing the leagues once again.

 

I agree, that is the most likely scenario.

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The biggest concern should be the proposals Bolton chairman Phil Gartside is working on to create Premier League One and Two.

 

If we're outside that, we're really in the mire.

 

Basically, he's proposing that the current Prem, plus most of the Championship and Celtic and Rangers (not sure how they'll swing that through, but we all know that in football, might is right and the Premier League hold all the financial aces) hive off and form a two-tier Premier League.

 

There will be two teams promoted and relegated between the two Premier League divisions each season, but only one relegation /promotion place between PL Div 2 and whatever's left.

 

The rationale, of course, is to increase television revenue by widening the scope of "The World's Most Popular League" (not my words).

 

The Premier League are mindful that there are some big clubs outside that in an ideal world they would like in. Leeds, Sheffield United and Wednesday, Birmingham. Even , dare I say it, Saints.

 

What they wouldn't want - even if their league position warrants it - are the likes of Doncaster, Barnsley, etc.

 

They look at the swathes of empty seats at Boro, Blackburn and commission the chairman of another of those clubs - Bolton - to look at a means of reviving a competition that is becoming boring because only one of four teams is capable of winning it.

 

Gartside is working for all those clubs whose Premier League status is one of making up the numbers, but getting well paid for doing it.

 

And at the back of their minds, of course, is the fear of what relegation from the current Premier League could mean (examples: Charlton, Saints, Leeds).

 

So what's the simple solution to protect against relegation? Make sure you don't really get relegated by forming a second division.

 

Once you've got that, you've basically got an NFL-style franchise system and clubs outside the expanded 40-member Premier League will be cast to the wind and tides.

 

This might take a year or two to bring in, but Premier LEague clubs will go for it.

 

It only requires 17 of the current Premier League to vote in favour of it, and there are enough whose aim at the start of every season is merely to reach 40 points, who will be comforted by the thought of a second tier safety net to lap it up.

 

Let's not forget, here, that Saints were one of the original 22 clubs who unilaterally jumped ship in 1992 to form the Premier League in the first place.

 

But you genuinely fear for Saints future if they are not in the next group of 22 or so to join them, and it doesn't look as though they will be.

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