Maybes Steve Bruce is right

[Laeotaekhun]

I know what you're saying but even back in them Roker Park days there were still a lot of chants and protests kicking about mind!
To be fair there was probably some justification to it back then as languishing around the bottom of second tier isn't really good enough.
History should tell us though that battling relegation from top flight is pretty much par for the course so quite why we expect anymore than that is beyond me.
Only time we've ever had any real financial clout was under Keane and unfortunately he didn't spend wisely.

I'm not going to disagree with that comment in any way.

However, if someone is attempting to measure the expectations of any club's supporters it would be interesting to learn which yardstick you believe should be used to decide if they are realistic or unrealistic.

 

[kelsoray]

Exactly. What Sultana-Face does not realize is the likes of West Ham United and Stoke do not set the world alight yet they can safely avoid relegation. It is not that hard to do. Just take a gamble. Go for it. Attack and see what happens. If you end up losing at least people can't say you didn't try. The fact both NUFC and SAFC seem to find it so hard to do speaks volumes for how badly managed both teams are. Both on the park and in the boardroom.

Yes attacking does produce results whereas draws are not productive enough just take a look at Yorks position in the table

 

[Mrjardine]

I'm not going to disagree with that comment in any way.

However, if someone is attempting to measure the expectations of any club's supporters it would be interesting to learn which yardstick you believe should be used to decide if they are realistic or unrealistic.

I would say history is a decent yardstick. Over the last 50 year we have yo-yoed between the top flight and second tier (one season in third) and one thing that has been consistent is that when we've been in the top flight (barring two 7ths under Reid and 10th Bruce) is that it's been bottom half and in the main a struggle.
The problem I think with our fans is that when we have threatened to punch above our weight and then fell short it brings out the worst in us.

 

[wq0pco]

The mags finished 5th under robson but because they had gone backwards the fans wanted him out. North east supporters demand constant progression as do fans of other clubs. If we don't get it we go ballistic in a way I've never seen anywhere else in England. He is right. When the going is all good the support is outstanding but it doesn't take much to sour the mood.
L

We've won 1 top-class trophy since the 1930's and been relegated over half a dozen times...... please, please refresh my memory of the "good years"???

I doubt there is anywhere else in England where the clubs with that record would still get our support, you muppet!!!

 

[curlypermsareback]

Steve ain't gonna be fit to manage up here again. He's been too critical of NE fans to suggest he can cut it up here

 

[gipetto]

http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/spor..._39_unrealistic_North_East_expectations__39_/

It's a lot better than last season, but still you lot moan.

do you expect a couple of new signings to suddenly take that shit squad into a mid table team? we're also not a club with endless amounts of money to lash about, and we're never going to attract top top players.

Think some of you need a reality check, you's have unrealistic expectations.

Tin hat on!

Unrealistic to expect to beat Burnley and QPR? We've been in this league circa 7 seasons now and we've seen very little improvement throughout that time.

We brought in one decent signing over the summer and upon first impressions doesn't look like a ten million pound player.

Has Wickham renewed his contract yet? What are the club playing at?

 

[eshermackem]

Always get a sense of some of our supporters loving themselves more than the team on these type of threads........

 

[Joe-B]

He can't handle being expected to perform to a certain level. That's why he's done well at clubs like Hull, Wigan and Birmingham. At the end of the day he was entrusted to take us from relegation battlers to a mid table side, he assembled a squad capable of it (finished 10th yer knar) then sold it all within less than a year and replaced the likes of your Hendersons, Bents and Gyans with Gardner, Ji an on loan Bendtner and an overpriced Inexperienced Connor Wickham that he didn't bother to play. You can even argue that the season we finished 10th we really have finished higher up, having been 6th Christmas and we only finished 10th because of a last day points swing.


He bottled it and he knows it, he's just too much of a coward to own up and admit in public.

 

[Laeotaekhun]

I would say history is a decent yardstick. Over the last 50 year we have yo-yoed between the top flight and second tier (one season in third) and one thing that has been consistent is that when we've been in the top flight (barring two 7ths under Reid and 10th Bruce) is that it's been bottom half and in the main a struggle.
The problem I think with our fans is that when we have threatened to punch above our weight and then fell short it brings out the worst in us.

I would agree with some of that but how far back should the period of history extend?

For example, PNE have a glorious history, if measured over the period of the club's existence, whereas Chelsea are (relatively) Johnny come latelys.

Should, therefore Chelsea supporters have ignored the majority of their history (prior to 2004) which, I think, was less impressive than ours, apart from them winning the European Cup Winners Cup a couple of times?

I just find it hard to understand and am yet to be convinced how "expectations" should be measured - no more, no less.

 

[Mrjardine]

I would agree with some of that but how far back should the period of history extend?

For example, PNE have a glorious history, if measured over the period of the club's existence, whereas Chelsea are (relatively) Johnny come latelys.

Should, therefore Chelsea supporters have ignored the majority of their history (prior to 2004) which, I think, was less impressive than ours, apart from them winning the European Cup Winners Cup a couple of times?

I just find it hard to understand and am yet to be convinced how "expectations" should be measured - no more, no less.

I'd say 50 years is decent length of time to gauge things on.
Don't see why any of our fans would expect success based on things that happened literally years before they were even born!
Throughout thesixties,seventies,eighties and nineties Chelsea have fared a helluva lot better than us mind and that was before Abramovich. What's happened since is purely down to a billionaire chucking money at it which could happen to anyone.
I don't think expectations should be gauged by the amount of people through a turnstile or things won over a hundred year ago.

 

[Mackem00]

http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/spor..._39_unrealistic_North_East_expectations__39_/

It's a lot better than last season, but still you lot moan.

do you expect a couple of new signings to suddenly take that shit squad into a mid table team? we're also not a club with endless amounts of money to lash about, and we're never going to attract top top players.

Think some of you need a reality check, you's have unrealistic expectations.

Tin hat on!

This board in no way reflects the attitude of match day supporters imo. And Steve Bruce is an excuse making fat knacker.

 

[Perryqhill]

http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/spor..._39_unrealistic_North_East_expectations__39_/

It's a lot better than last season, but still you lot moan.

do you expect a couple of new signings to suddenly take that shit squad into a mid table team? we're also not a club with endless amounts of money to lash about, and we're never going to attract top top players.

Think some of you need a reality check, you's have unrealistic expectations.

Tin hat on!

Its a lot better? Its a bit better in that were not getting tonked every week but how on earth, after the start weve had can you not be extremely worried?

 

[Rickybilly]

http://m.thenorthernecho.co.uk/spor..._39_unrealistic_North_East_expectations__39_/

It's a lot better than last season, but still you lot moan.

do you expect a couple of new signings to suddenly take that shit squad into a mid table team? we're also not a club with endless amounts of money to lash about, and we're never going to attract top top players.

Think some of you need a reality check, you's have unrealistic expectations.

Tin hat on!

The difference between NE supporters is that Newcastle expect a top 10 finish we dont!

 

[Az*]

High Expectations

To be competitive away to Burnley and actually look like we can maybe create a decent chance, never mind score a goal, is having high expectations?

The manager and team get tremendous backing week after week, home and away. If we are shit we have a bit whinge on here and you might hear the odd murmur at the match. It's not like we have pitch forks out and a leaflet distribution operation in full flow after a few losses...

The majority of our fans expectations are quite reasonable.

It's not asking much to actually look threatening against QPR and Burnley away is it? - we've been in this league long enough now to expect us to look at least half decent against a team as poor as Burnley.

No one is shouting for titles or even Europe, just looking like we have an idea wtf is going on would be a start.

 

[Mrjardine]

High Expectations

To be competitive away to Burnley and actually look like we can maybe create a decent chance, never mind score a goal, is having high expectations?

The manager and team get tremendous backing week after week, home and away. If we are shit we have a bit whinge on here and you might hear the odd murmur at the match. It's not like we have pitch forks out and a leaflet distribution operation in full flow after a few losses...

The majority of our fans expectations are quite reasonable.

It's not asking much to actually look threatening against QPR and Burnley away is it? - we've been in this league long enough now to expect us to look at least half decent against a team as poor as Burnley.

No one is shouting for titles or even Europe, just looking like we have an idea wtf is going on would be a start.

We were competitive against them both though. We narrowly lost one and got a draw in the other.
What you really mean is you think we should be beating sides like this even though in my opinion we will be in and around them both come may.
We are currently 15th and I think we'll be around that mark come end of season.
Why would you expect anything else?

 

[Banks]

I'd say 50 years is decent length of time to gauge things on.
Don't see why any of our fans would expect success based on things that happened literally years before they were even born!
Throughout thesixties,seventies,eighties and nineties Chelsea have fared a helluva lot better than us mind and that was before Abramovich. What's happened since is purely down to a billionaire chucking money at it which could happen to anyone.
I don't think expectations should be gauged by the amount of people through a turnstile or things won over a hundred year ago.

What a load of shite.

We have been surpassed by Southampton,Swansea,West Ham, Stoke.

Whilst they are in the Championship, even Blackburn, Bolton and Fulham have had excellent success compared to Sunderland. How did they get on in the last 50 years?

 

[Az*]

This board in no way reflects the attitude of match day supporters imo. And Steve Bruce is an excuse making fat knacker.

This is what I find most bizarre, few at the match know or give a fuck about this board. A few whinging on here in no way reflects the average match day going fan...

Of the 6-7 I attend the match with none post on here, none think we should be top ten or challenging for Europe. All thought we'd struggle this year, none boo at the match or burn effigies of Short and Byrne..

 

[billyboy]

That just about sums it up for me. Yesterday was a huge disappointment. Yeah we didn't get beat but we never looked like winning either.

 

[Laeotaekhun]

I'd say 50 years is decent length of time to gauge things on.
Don't see why any of our fans would expect success based on things that happened literally years before they were even born!
Throughout thesixties,seventies,eighties and nineties Chelsea have fared a helluva lot better than us mind and that was before Abramovich. What's happened since is purely down to a billionaire chucking money at it which could happen to anyone.
I don't think expectations should be gauged by the amount of people through a turnstile or things won over a hundred year ago.

Again, I have to agree with the majority of that.

Given, though, that I think the supporters of most clubs now accept that the top 4 positions in the PL will be occupied by those that have become, apparent, residents in the Champions League how do you think the expectations of the remainder should be judged as realistic/unrealistic?

For example, should we SAFC (or the Mags) think it acceptable to finish below clubs such as Southampton, Stoke, QPR, Burnley, Swansea, Leicester, WBA, Palace or Hull, if only basing expectations on recent league history (in the past 50, 40, 30 or even 20 years)?

I don't think so and that would be enough for either team to finish 11th, at worst.

As I have said, I still don't understand the way that Bruce (or anyone else) can be objective in measuring supporter's expectations.

I do think , though, that the North East is still a "hotbed" of football and if either of the teams (SAFC or NUFC, for me MFC don't count) gave their supporters genuine hope then 60,000 capacities would not be high enough.

With the TV revenues now being what they are then this would not necessarily generate massive income streams but it would (I think) justify why expectations are, possibly, higher than in those areas that do not have the same level of interest.

 

[Az*]

We were competitive against them both though. We narrowly lost one and got a draw in the other.
What you really mean is you think we should be beating sides like this even though in my opinion we will be in and around them both come may.
We are currently 15th and I think we'll be around that mark come end of season.
Why would you expect anything else?

Have I said I'd expect anything except to look like we know what we are doing on the pitch?

Did you watch that yesterday? We have no f***ing idea as soon as we get over half way. I expect more than that, if that's delusional then I'm guilty.

I never expect a win, but I expect us to at least look like we have some idea.

And please don't tell me what I mean, my post made it quite clear what I mean.