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+--- Thread: 20 Years ago (/showthread.php?tid=5626)
RE: 20 Years ago - fbaggy - 07-30-2019
(07-29-2019, 12:58 PM)MassDebater Wrote:you listened to Bagpuss??? oh my(07-28-2019, 09:40 PM)ColliersWoodBaggie Wrote: 19 years ago this week, we were looking forward to an away match at Nottingham Forest, with some new found optimism after an awful previous season, which admittedly did end on a high. With 3 new permanent signings, plus three other players signed at the March transfer deadline (yes, kids, you could sign players all season until the final Thursday in March then - hence no pant wetting in the Summer) and the return of Lee Hughes, injured in April v Ipswich, Albion, under Megson were embarking on a new era. And Ruel Fox was also poised to sign - a real coup at the time. In fact, Only 6 players remained from the squad at the first game of the previous season. We lost 0-1 in a close game, by all accounts.
You may say that the start of the revival of sorts, was staying up and beating Charlton on the final match of the 99/00 season, but this was the season we got going and we've never finished below this position in the League since. I was living in London then, so didn't go to Forest, but saw the first home game v Bolton, which we lost 0-2. We did ok, huffed and puffed, but were short v a fancied Bolton side. We then lost 1-4 at Barnsley, before we finally earned points v QPR on Bank Holiday Monday. Then we climbed the table steadily and for the first time in over a decade, we looked a decent squad - even with Van Blerk on the LHS of midfield. We ended that season finishing 6th and losing to Bolton in the Play-offs, but it was the beginning of the start of Albion being taken seriously again. And we saw an upturn in average crowds.
It was also the first few weeks of Rivals when you could post with any name. Any of you ont his dump then? And which 2 future Albion players turned out for Forest that day?
(07-28-2019, 09:40 PM)ColliersWoodBaggie Wrote: 19 years ago this week, we were looking forward to an away match at Nottingham Forest, with some new found optimism after an awful previous season, which admittedly did end on a high. With 3 new permanent signings, plus three other players signed at the March transfer deadline (yes, kids, you could sign players all season until the final Thursday in March then - hence no pant wetting in the Summer) and the return of Lee Hughes, injured in April v Ipswich, Albion, under Megson were embarking on a new era. And Ruel Fox was also poised to sign - a real coup at the time. In fact, Only 6 players remained from the squad at the first game of the previous season. We lost 0-1 in a close game, by all accounts.
You may say that the start of the revival of sorts, was staying up and beating Charlton on the final match of the 99/00 season, but this was the season we got going and we've never finished below this position in the League since. I was living in London then, so didn't go to Forest, but saw the first home game v Bolton, which we lost 0-2. We did ok, huffed and puffed, but were short v a fancied Bolton side. We then lost 1-4 at Barnsley, before we finally earned points v QPR on Bank Holiday Monday. Then we climbed the table steadily and for the first time in over a decade, we looked a decent squad - even with Van Blerk on the LHS of midfield. We ended that season finishing 6th and losing to Bolton in the Play-offs, but it was the beginning of the start of Albion being taken seriously again. And we saw an upturn in average crowds.
It was also the first few weeks of Rivals when you could post with any name. Any of you ont his dump then? And which 2 future Albion players turned out for Forest that day?
I was, not sure how long I'd been on Rivals by that time, unsure if my original name had been banned from too much raiding, and whether I was using this one.
Used to meet up with Rich and Kappa etc.. at the Vine... ahh them were the days!
Then we got promoted and I lasted the 2003 season, then bought a house and moved a girl in, the footy for me was no more. I then felt like a fraud posting on a football board, having not gone.. and it's only with going a bit more again and with Baggpuss' insistence that I signed back up...
Ohhh my vision has gone all misty!
RE: 20 Years ago - ColliersWoodBaggie - 07-30-2019
(07-30-2019, 09:05 AM)BasingBaggie Wrote: Whilst I wouldn't disagree with the OP I have to say that the away days 20 years ago were brilliant. Halifax away in the cup, whilst an absolute appalling performance, was still a great day out. It may have a lot to do with being 50 now however I remember those away days far more fondly than ones in the Premiership
Yep. I'm 47 and have just done just over 40 years (24 April) of watching Albion. I agree with regards to the away games. But, we were much younger then and that plays a part in this feeling. However, it was also cheaper in, beer and food was relatively cheaper than today. I was in very low paid work, then a student and could afford most away games.Mid 90s onwards, I lived in London and could afford to get to about 15-20 games a season.
I wouldn't say Halifax was that good from what I remember of it, but QPR away in 1996, Norwich, 1997, plus many games in the third tier and that 1-1 draw Spandau mentioned at Derby were all great away days. Noise and passion.
RE: 20 Years ago - Fall Out Boy - 07-30-2019
(07-30-2019, 09:00 AM)SW4Baggie Wrote: Reading through this does make me think, would we be in a better position now had we not appointed Pulis, and probably been relegated in 14/15? (Even though it is worth noting that we weren't in the bottom 3 at any time after September that season, and we were only in it for a week then... we were 16th when AFI was sacked)
Effectively Pulis's 3 years with us offered very little that we hadn't seen under Roy/Clarke previously as we seemed happy to tread water whilst JP sold the club.
Had we not had Pulis, we probably would have been relegated sooner. However one of two things would have happened in that case;
1/ Peace would have realised that a short-term, treading water approach was not the answer, and he would have gone out and tried to find the next Ashworth
or
2/ Peace would have had to sell at a lower price, probably to a more interested party than Lai. Again a double edged sword, as for every Fosun there's a Venkys.
I think he would have gone the first route, and we'd probably be in better shape now. Lai would probably have gone and bought Palace or something.
RE: 20 Years ago - Baggiejacko - 07-30-2019
(07-30-2019, 12:19 PM)Fall Out Boy Wrote:Ashworths work here was done. He writes the manual for successfully running a club/business not run the club. He left us to do it with the FA and moved on from there after the job was done. He'll do the same at Brighton or wherever he has gone to and will go after them. By the way our manual still exists and is still being used. Patience is a big part of it.(07-30-2019, 09:00 AM)SW4Baggie Wrote: Reading through this does make me think, would we be in a better position now had we not appointed Pulis, and probably been relegated in 14/15? (Even though it is worth noting that we weren't in the bottom 3 at any time after September that season, and we were only in it for a week then... we were 16th when AFI was sacked)
Effectively Pulis's 3 years with us offered very little that we hadn't seen under Roy/Clarke previously as we seemed happy to tread water whilst JP sold the club.
Had we not had Pulis, we probably would have been relegated sooner. However one of two things would have happened in that case;
1/ Peace would have realised that a short-term, treading water approach was not the answer, and he would have gone out and tried to find the next Ashworth
or
2/ Peace would have had to sell at a lower price, probably to a more interested party than Lai. Again a double edged sword, as for every Fosun there's a Venkys.
I think he would have gone the first route, and we'd probably be in better shape now. Lai would probably have gone and bought Palace or something.
RE: 20 Years ago - Spandaubaggie - 07-30-2019
(07-29-2019, 09:49 PM)Duffers Wrote: The truth is there are about 70 clubs who would kill for the last 20 years we’ve had.That's partially the truth, but in context, taking into account there are about 40 clubs who have the support and history to hope for great things, there are very few, who have had a better time than us in the past 20 years.
OK, the absence of a cup final will be a bug bear, when we have seen the likes of Blues and Swansea win the League Cup, and Wigan the FA Cup, but clubs like Forest, Leeds, Ipswich, Sheff W (all big clubs in the 70s/80s) have had an atrocious time in the 21st century, and clubs like Bristol C and Preston haven't even seen the Prem in 27 years!
It doesn't help when most fans have gold fish memories, and expect their team to be the best always, but the original post and Duffers line puts into context that we should feel grateful. Some won't though as they are just gloomy people.
RE: 20 Years ago - MassDebater - 07-30-2019
(07-30-2019, 09:11 AM)fbaggy Wrote: you listened to Bagpuss??? oh my
hey, he's a top lad I'll have you know
Also realised I said at the Vine, I meant the Old Cross in Langley... I'd never even heard of the Vine in them days!
RE: 20 Years ago - Kit Kat Chunky - 07-30-2019
(07-30-2019, 09:05 AM)BasingBaggie Wrote: Whilst I wouldn't disagree with the OP I have to say that the away days 20 years ago were brilliant. Halifax away in the cup, whilst an absolute appalling performance, was still a great day out. It may have a lot to do with being 50 now however I remember those away days far more fondly than ones in the Premiership
I was at Halifax that day, and it was bitterly cold. The performance wasn't all that good, until we were beaten.
I think our natural place these days is play-offs, and a bounce between the two divisions. That's as good as it gets.
I do fear that without promotion (and subsequent sale) we could be the next Bolton.