The Story of the Season
We all know the story, but here's a write-up I thought I'd do! https://chairboyscentral.com/2019/10/04/the-story-of-the-season-2019-20-part-1/
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We all know the story, but here's a write-up I thought I'd do! https://chairboyscentral.com/2019/10/04/the-story-of-the-season-2019-20-part-1/
Comments
That was a fun read!
Have to say I have been championing the status of GA as best ever manager, for a couple of years now. How much longer we have to wait, before this is agreed by the majority, only time will tell.
If he gets us to the Championship, then I think it would become a 50/50 debate/ personal preference thing alongside MON. If he keeps us in the Championship, I think it becomes almost unarguable
I love them both. Why choose?
If he gets us to the playoffs, it becomes a very close run thing. If he gets us to the Championship, then it must be unarguable.
Absobloominlutely @eric_plant .
Anyone who chooses Gareth over Martin clearly wasn’t around at the time. The early 90’s were magical, the footballing equivalent of having your veins full of every drug known to man.
Nevertheless it is possible to love both as you say. Gareth is less than 2 years away from becoming the longest serving manager in our history. That would be a remarkable achievement. He deserves every accolade which comes his way.
Finally admitting to your celebrity media lifestyle?
The ‘sixties weren’t too bad either. Hugh Lindsay, Charlie Townsend, Eddie Dilsworth, Len Worley, Bernie Bremer, John Hutchinson etc. And that was just the mighty Wealdstone. Golden Virginia (still available in Sainsbury’s and other major superstores) the recreational drug of choice. Sobranie Black Russian when feeling flush.
Heady days
Pretty sure Ewan was there at the time, but from his explanation on the previous discussion on it, I think he overhyped how much money we had available at the time. We might have had a bit of clout in the conference, but we certainly weren't by any means one of the big fish in the old division 4.
So the combo of taking us out of non league, and into the third tier in consecutive years, and then taking us to what would have been playoffs any other year in 3 years, cannot be overstated, or played down with "oh we had some money", as if we were Fulham with Al Fayed, or some sort of lower league Man City.
Gareth is doing excellently, and if he can take us into the playoffs, that's obviously a sensational job.
But taking us into the championship is probably what it would take to match such phenomenal O Neill feats
But agreed, two terrific managers in our history, and long may this reign continue!
Season ticket holder since Adams Park opened.
Ah but Brian Lee also gave us Adams Park for which I am eternally grateful.
(For those who are too young to understand. The requirement for a 6000 capacity stadium could have led to a much worse set up
I understand from people around at the time that we were in danger of having a ground more like Buckingham Road or Kingsmeadow than how Adams Park finally turned out. Although the initial licensed capacity was 6,000, it was always intended to be able to be increased to approx. 10,000 step by step. Considering how hostile the local council and the Sands residents association were to the stadium when it was being built and afterwards, that was no small achievement.
It is interesting how we always have the need for superlatives in very subjective areas. I wonder if it is a deep seated desire for perfection?
@ReadingMarginalista it was Buckingham Road that worried me. I remember going there around the time we started work on AP. I think it officially had an 8000 capacity but was basically a very lower non-league looking ground. It was depressing to think that our new home would be smaller than that.
I then went to look after our last game that season when it was 3/4 built and couldn’t wait to start watching us there.
On another subject that has just sprung to mind. Anyone remember the Christmas cards we used to do every year? (Maybe we still do?). I’ve got one somewhere showing the proposed design of the new stadium with the “futuristic” curved roof. Shame that feature got dropped*
*see @Shev’s comment on our need for perfection
Here's part 2 (up to and including Pompey away), which I forgot to post at the time! https://chairboyscentral.com/2019/12/28/the-story-of-the-season-2019-20-part-2/
Part 3 (up to and including the Tranmere win): https://chairboyscentral.com/2020/03/08/the-story-of-the-season-2019-20-part-3/