Why we are where we are

To me, the biggest and most crucial factor in why we're on the precipice and staring non-league in the face (again) is because of our summer strategy.

Whether Fenty, Day, Holloway or anyone else involved in the decision-making wants to admit it to themselves or not, it's clear to me — and most other fans — that this football club was banking on the 2020/21 season not completing because of covid.

And if it did, there would likely be clubs going bust, like Macclesfield and Bury, and so securing our EFL status without really having to earn enough points.

Hence why we recruited like we did. You read back at some of Holloway's quotes from the time (not that you'd want to) — it was all about how ridiculous it was that we were being made to play football; Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday; starting with the League Cup, and that silly Trophy competition...

There was no appetite or desire from the custodians of this (once) great club to actually get us playing football.

As soon as it became apparent we would indeed need to play, one friendly was arranged and we treated the first two cup games (and probably the first two league games) as pre-season kick-abouts, and we recruited seven players on season-long loans.

We've done the minimum possible while spending the minimum possible.

Serious errors of judgment were made. The board's frugality was hidden behind the convenient narrative of covid, when really they committed to an idea that hasn't come to fruition and will likely cost us our place in the Football League.

I'm sure those involved will get over it; Holloway will continue with his media career and Fenty will walk away with his richly undeserved millions — his political career in tatters, obviously, but I'm sure the leather upholstery of his £80k car will soak up any tears.

It may seem like the damage is being done now, but really our fate was sewn back in the summer of 2020 due to the arrogance of just a few bad men.

Quoted from RichMariner

As soon as it became apparent we would indeed need to play, one friendly was arranged

Precisely this! I've never known a season where we've had such a huge number of unfit players. We have been behind everybody else, fitness-wise, since the first game and have never caught up. Then it has just snowballed... we needed to bring in players to replace IH's squad but could only bring in free agents and those who haven't been starters at their old teams, which has meant we are waiting - again - on players to become fully fighting fit for League football. Hust even described Bunney has not being quite there yet.

Regardless of whether we have been technically good enough to compete, we've not been fit enough to start with.

Yet on the day Holloway resigned we were 6 points clear of relegation and averaging a point a game. Since then we've got less than half a point a game and are rock bottom. Seems very much like the damage is being done now and not before.

I just don't see this whole doomed all season thing making sense. We weren't very good, but something has happened towards the end of Holloway's reign and the squad appear to not give a excrement what happens.

Talking of unfit players, this in todays Tellywag

".........while Sean Scannell has been told he needs to improve his fitness before coming back into contention"

He hasnt been in contention since Hurst returned.

The question needs asking why his fitness has dropped if he is training as often as all the other players? If he isnt picked in the squad then he should still be working on his fitness, but it seems he is sat at home with a beer, feet up, watching Soccer AM on a Saturday, thinking of days past when he was a half decent player.

I am guessing he is being lined up to be released at the end of the season anyway.

Makes you wonder exactly what our fitness coach does, or doesnt, for so many to be less than match fit, and several only fit enough for a 20 minute cameo. I remember Ollie waxing lyrical about how good he was at his job. Says it all really!

Quoted from RichMariner

To me, the biggest and most crucial factor in why we're on the precipice and staring non-league in the face (again) is because of our summer strategy.

Whether Fenty, Day, Holloway or anyone else involved in the decision-making wants to admit it to themselves or not, it's clear to me — and most other fans — that this football club was banking on the 2020/21 season not completing because of covid.

And if it did, there would likely be clubs going bust, like Macclesfield and Bury, and so securing our EFL status without really having to earn enough points.

Hence why we recruited like we did. You read back at some of Holloway's quotes from the time (not that you'd want to) — it was all about how ridiculous it was that we were being made to play football; Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday; starting with the League Cup, and that silly Trophy competition...

There was no appetite or desire from the custodians of this (once) great club to actually get us playing football.

As soon as it became apparent we would indeed need to play, one friendly was arranged and we treated the first two cup games (and probably the first two league games) as pre-season kick-abouts, and we recruited seven players on season-long loans.

We've done the minimum possible while spending the minimum possible.

Serious errors of judgment were made. The board's frugality was hidden behind the convenient narrative of covid, when really they committed to an idea that hasn't come to fruition and will likely cost us our place in the Football League.

I'm sure those involved will get over it; Holloway will continue with his media career and Fenty will walk away with his richly undeserved millions — his political career in tatters, obviously, but I'm sure the leather upholstery of his £80k car will soak up any tears.

It may seem like the damage is being done now, but really our fate was sewn back in the summer of 2020 due to the arrogance of just a few bad men.

Post of the season RichMariner! 👏👏

Quoted from RichMariner

To me, the biggest and most crucial factor in why we're on the precipice and staring non-league in the face (again) is because of our summer strategy.

Whether Fenty, Day, Holloway or anyone else involved in the decision-making wants to admit it to themselves or not, it's clear to me — and most other fans — that this football club was banking on the 2020/21 season not completing because of covid.

And if it did, there would likely be clubs going bust, like Macclesfield and Bury, and so securing our EFL status without really having to earn enough points.

Hence why we recruited like we did. You read back at some of Holloway's quotes from the time (not that you'd want to) — it was all about how ridiculous it was that we were being made to play football; Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday; starting with the League Cup, and that silly Trophy competition...

There was no appetite or desire from the custodians of this (once) great club to actually get us playing football.

As soon as it became apparent we would indeed need to play, one friendly was arranged and we treated the first two cup games (and probably the first two league games) as pre-season kick-abouts, and we recruited seven players on season-long loans.

We've done the minimum possible while spending the minimum possible.

Serious errors of judgment were made. The board's frugality was hidden behind the convenient narrative of covid, when really they committed to an idea that hasn't come to fruition and will likely cost us our place in the Football League.

I'm sure those involved will get over it; Holloway will continue with his media career and Fenty will walk away with his richly undeserved millions — his political career in tatters, obviously, but I'm sure the leather upholstery of his £80k car will soak up any tears.

It may seem like the damage is being done now, but really our fate was sewn back in the summer of 2020 due to the arrogance of just a few bad men.

Clearly the start of the season was a joke as well as the recruitment of some players and we were playing crap when he left and could well have ended up in relegation if he had stayed but you cannot escape the single fact that Paul Hurst coming in has speeded up the race to the bottom so he must take his share of the blame if we go down.

Quoted from pen penfras

Yet on the day Holloway resigned we were 6 points clear of relegation and averaging a point a game. Since then we've got less than half a point a game and are rock bottom. Seems very much like the damage is being done now and not before.

I just don't see this whole doomed all season thing making sense. We weren't very good, but something has happened towards the end of Holloway's reign and the squad appear to not give a excrement what happens.

You're writing as if being six points clear of the relegation zone and attaining one point per game is good. It's not. It's rubbish. One point per game - 46 points - and we would have been fighting it out at the bottom. Barnet were relegated with 46 points in 2017/18.

Quoted from kafunanapar140909

You're writing as if being six points clear of the relegation zone and attaining one point per game is good. It's not. It's rubbish. One point per game - 46 points - and we would have been fighting it out at the bottom. Barnet were relegated with 46 points in 2017/18.

Bloody hell, if we could only dream of getting 46 points now.

  Yes, Barnet were relegated with 46 points 2 years ago, and if you take a quick look at the National League table you will see they are in serious danger of being relegated again. If the worst happens, we have to hope that with new owners we can forget this dreadful season, make sure the manager ( whether it's Paul Hurst or someone else ) has a budget to build a promotion team, and look to emulate what Bristol Rovers did with two straight promotions. It seems ridiculously optimistic now, but it's far from impossible. Now I'm off to take my meds!  

My biggest fear is what state the league we seem to be dropping into will be in